


from me, to you

by madhoney



Category: NCT (Band), WAYV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Arranged Marriage, Childhood Sweethearts, Eventual Smut, Falling In Love, Fluff, Gift Giving as Love Language, Growing Old Together, M/M, Mutual Pining, No Plot/Plotless, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rating May Change, Romance, Slow Burn, Time Skips
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-01
Updated: 2020-07-06
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:53:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23386954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madhoney/pseuds/madhoney
Summary: “And with the signatures on this contract, the two familes agree to be bound together through the union of crown princes Qian Kun and Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul upon their ascent to adulthood, after which the two kingdoms will unite and become one.”or, a story of kunten falling in love over time through the exchanging of gifts.
Relationships: Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten/Qian Kun
Comments: 62
Kudos: 152





	1. blossoming

**Author's Note:**

> just to say, there's no plot here - it's only snippets of time cataloging the gifts that kunten give to each other. some chapters will be short and others long. there's no set structure or anything & i fully admit that this is just a super self-indulgent little series but i hope you enjoy~! 🥺❤
> 
> thanks to @andnowforyaya for inspiring the idea ❣

_“And with the signatures on this contract, the two familes agree to be bound together through the union of crown princes Qian Kun and Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul upon their ascent to adulthood, after which the two kingdoms will unite and become one.”_

The royal magistrate’s words echoed against the cold stone walls of the chamber.

“I think we are to be married,” Kun mumbled to the boy at his side, the one who arrived at the gates of his family’s kingdom just two seasons ago but quickly became his close friend.

The pair watched from the sidelines as their parents signed away their fates. Kun bit his lip. Even at their tender age, they knew royalty came without the luxury of a marriage for love, but it was certainly still a heavy burden to take on as a child. 

The other eleven-year-old wrinkled his nose, tugging at the hem of his traditional silk garment that he was much too young to appreciate. “I don’t think I want to be married.”

Kun turned to the other, brows furrowed in confusion.

“Then what will you be if not a wedded king someday?”

Ten lifted his sharp, pointed nose high in the air, chest puffing out with an inhale.

“I want to be a warrior that they write songs about,” he declared. Kun himself couldn’t help but chew the inside of his cheek to stifle his laughter imagining the small, lithe boy to his side – still a couple of inches beneath his own height – growing into the broad body of a soldier. Ten appeared undeterred, shrugging before continuing. “Or perhaps I will become one of the greatest artists of the realm. Or poet. Or even a philosopher! I am Prince Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul – I could be anything I want to be if I was not beholden to a marriage arrangement.”

Kun smiled at that, believing the latter options to be more fitting alternatives. Still, Ten’s pout returned as his fate was sealed before him. He was young, but Kun had learned well how to temper his emotions, especially in the company of others. He noticed that most of the time, whether by lack of restraint or lack of fear, Ten was less concerned with blunting the expression of his feelings. Kun thought it was endearing, if not a touch reckless – and he quite hoped that the requirements of Ten's station would never buff away that untamed edge.

Despite Ten's reluctance about the situation, Kun was not so bothered about his future. From what he understood, a marriage was simply an agreement. And if it was necessary for him, then he could at least take comfort from the fact that his binding would be to a friend – his first true friend in his life.

Growing up, there were never any other children in the palace. Kun’s life was filled with diligent schooling in language, classical arts, and the philosophy of governance. It wasn’t necessarily an unhappy childhood, but it was admittedly dull and rather tedious. Before the arrival of Ten’s family, Kun had known little of life beyond that. 

But with Ten, he ran through the fields of tall, dry grass beyond the imposing palace walls, barefoot and free in the warm season, chasing the other until his lungs felt that they might burst. With Ten, his knees drew blood from tiny scrapes for the first time, earning the both of them a stiff scolding from his nannies. With Ten, he learned to skip stones along the slick surface of the bay not far from his home and how to make daisy chains from the little blossoms in the garden. With Ten, he was even bold enough to sneak past the kitchen staff to pilfer sticky sweets and tasty cakes before suppers.

They still attended to their tutoring as well, but the visiting prince was a breath of fresh air to the youth’s horribly stuffy life. Kun noticed that his own studies seemed to dwarf Ten’s, but that hardly impeded him from outwitting Kun here and there. In fact, Ten seemed to dive into his own scholarly pursuits with more fervor just for that singular pleasure.

Kun reveled in it. They both did – which is why Kun quickly decided that he didn’t really mind the match one bit.

Kun glanced around the great hall. All eyes were focused on the contract being coordinated before them, allowing Kun to quietly reach toward a nearby bouquet of flowers, one of the many set atop the tables in the hall. He plucked out a tiny, white camellia, hoping no one noticed its absence in the painted porcelain vase. Something about the flower reminded him of Ten – resilient and robust despite its delicate appearance. Careful not to crush the bloom, he slid it furtively into the other’s tiny hand.

“Worry not. I promise you can still be all of those things if you are my king someday,” Kun mumbled sincerely. 

Ten peeked down at the flower that unfurled in his palm. The corner of his lip twitched with concealed joy. He lacked the poise and confidence to appropriately express his gratitude at the small but meaningful gesture that had an innocent pink falling onto the tops of his cheeks. So instead, he nodded kindly. 

“I suppose that if I _must_ ,” Ten began quietly, the curl of his mouth deepening into his plump, youthful cheeks. “Then it would not be so bad to marry you.”

Though the weight on Ten’s chest felt less crushing now, he knew their time was soon coming to an end. He folded his hands behind his back for the remainder of the ceremony, periodically smoothing the petals between his fingertips for comfort. 

The ink was quickly dried beneath the well-defined but simple contract. The deal was agreed. In no less than one decade's time, the pair would wed while the camellias were in bloom once again.

Ten and his family departed for home shortly after this ceremony, taking to their ships in the harbor in the days that followed, as planned. As their envoy sailed away, Ten waved goodbye to Kun, left behind on the shore with the rest of the farewell party. He didn’t know when they would meet again, but even in this short time, he felt the seeds of a strong and lasting relationship had been planted. He hoped that, one day, it might blossom as beautifully as the little flower he clutched so carefully beneath the long drape of his sleeve. 

~


	2. charcoal on parchment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Your Highness,” a servant said, bowing and catching Kun’s attention as he passed over the threshold of his rooms. “A letter arrived for you today.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so much for the love for this little series already! i really enjoyed writing this chapter, so i hope you all like it~~ 💕💕

Kun trudged up a side staircase of the palace, the one tucked closer towards the back of the main building. He was still getting used to this new path to his chambers, having been moved to a more private wing upon the passing of his thirteenth birthday not long ago. 

He passed by a narrow window. The sun was not much longer for this world. He was promised a long day today, and a long day it was indeed, spent on the exhilarating but unfortunately quite unforgiving art of horseback riding.

As Kun grew, so did the breadth of his studies. He had been charged with learning more practical, physical skills befitting his age, such as equestrianism, archery, and even hunting – though he preferred the latter less among them.

“Your Highness,” a servant said, bowing and catching Kun’s attention as he passed over the threshold of his rooms. “A letter arrived for you today.”

The young prince furrowed his brows while working at undoing the ties of his thick, leather vest with the help of an attendant. The tip of his nose was still pink with cold, and his stomach ached to be fed after a day of hard work.

“Correspondence? For me?” Kun asked, dusting off his hands that were still spotted with dirt after being out in the stables all afternoon. He did not look forward to the inevitable scrubbing of his fingernails that would be set upon him later that evening whether he liked it or not.

At his age, Kun did not typically receive post personally addressed to him. The odd letter came, from a relative far afield, but beyond that, there was not much.

He was eager to see what awaited him, so the servant quickly presented the parcel, encased three times in a parchment that had been dyed a striking violet. It was the color of a kingdom – a family – that Kun hadn't seen for some time but remembered all too well.

As he was in his own rooms, he did not bother tempering himself. With all the hasty anticipation of an excited teenage boy, he tore through the outer wrappers with little ceremony or care. Inside were two carefully folded papers, addressed to him.

This time, he slowed, moved delicately, sliding his finger beneath the first flap with only enough force to break the seal.

_“To my dear friend Prince Kun,_

_I wrote and re-wrote this letter many times before settling on this one, so I apologize for the inevitability of its late arrival to your hands. I heard recently that it is your birthday – or rather, was your birthday. (Again, my apologies for the delay.)_

_Quite a long time has passed since we last met, so perhaps you will not remember this, but you once gifted me a lovely camellia in secret at the announcement of our engagement. I kept it, preserving it to the best of my abilities as I journeyed home. I spent many days studying it in different lights, through different seasons, and with different media – until the poor thing, regrettably, crumbled with the passage of time._

_Enclosed is the best of my efforts, hoping you will find it a suitable present to mark the passing of another year in the life of a dear friend. I hope this new year is filled to the brim with all the blessings and fortune befitting of a great prince._

_It has been a little over a year since I left your home. Please be well and healthy, and see that you dress warmly – I remember that your kingdom grows quite cold this time of year._

_I have been missing you a good deal these days. May we meet again soon, friend._

_Yours sincerely,  
Ten _

_P.S. It is a great pity that such beautiful camellias have only precious little scent and cannot easily be made into a perfume, for I would have liked to keep that gift with me throughout my years. Next time, I hope the wise Prince Kun might think ahead and choose a sweeter bloom.”_

Kun felt the familiar heat in his cheeks at his old friend’s playful barb. The friendliness of Ten’s tone was so potent, so familiar, that even after all this time, Kun could quite clearly see the smirk that must have tugged at his lips as he penned his words.

Kun lifted away the first page of the letter to reveal the paper behind it, this one thicker to bear the weight of art. He examined the dark lines of charcoal that cut across the paper in smooth swipes. As promised, they depicted that little flower given at the ceremony. The bloom rested atop an ambiguous ledge, and Kun could see from the gentle shading where the sun must have been streaming down upon it. 

It was simple, without pigment or excessive detail, but that made it perfect. And it made Kun wonder – wonder where Ten set the flower down for this study. Was it at a side table made of fine teak in a sitting room one morning? Did Ten possibly venture out and lay it gingerly on a bench in the garden? Or perhaps it was simply placed on one of the windowsills of his bedroom, safe and nearby. 

Wherever its setting, it was beautiful. He remembered that Ten already had a well-honed technique for his age. Kun's heart admittedly fluttered at the thought of the distant prince hunched over, scrutinizing the little bloom as he worked so tirelessly to capture its beauty onto pages upon pages. Kun could still conjure the other's image quite well by memory, but he couldn't help but wonder how much he’d changed since he saw him last… 

Kun stared at the sketch for a few more lingering moments before turning to the attendant still hovering dutifully nearby.

“Is it possible to have this work pressed, please?” He requested timidly. Still young, Kun was only just beginning to feel a touch of comfort in the authority that came with his position. “So that I may display it?”

The servant nodded, receiving the art that was handed to him like it was a precious gem. “Yes, of course, Your Highness.”

He bowed, exiting Kun’s chambers. The young prince settled onto a cushion by the window, where he read the letter again and again until all sunlight was gone and his eyes burned from strain against the faint glow of the moon.

Kun had thought about writing to Ten many times. The other's departure from the kingdom had unexpectedly left behind a stark void in Kun's young life, and he had often wondered if Ten felt the same – or if such friendship and memories had already withered like the camellia. 

But as his eyes passed over the letter again, he felt as if they were just two threads, once more picking up the pattern where they left off before. 

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just another sweet, small bit of kunten softness 😊 i hope you liked it - please be sure to leave me some kudos & kind comments !! more coming soon~ 💗
> 
> [twt!](https://twitter.com/mad__honey) [cc!](https://curiouscat.me/mad__honey)


	3. sweetness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ten grinned. “Have you missed me much while I was away?”
> 
> The servant chuckled as he poured fresh oolong for him. Ten had developed quite a taste for the foreign tea years ago while at his good friend’s palace and consequently insisted that it be imported into the kingdom. 
> 
> “Of course, Your Majesty’s presence was greatly missed,” he cooed. “Though apparently, we are not the only ones.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> back with another little installment - thanks so much for waiting patiently for this update! 
> 
> as always, i hope you enjoy!~~~ 💗

Ten woke to the sounds of the tropical birds serenading him, coaxing him from his deep slumber from their perches just beyond the windows. His inner bedchamber was otherwise serene, still shrouded in darkness. Usually, it was the glaring morning light that shocked him awake as his servants tore open the drapes on the eastern side of the room not long after dawn – but they had been instructed not to do so, for today at least. 

The 15-year-old prince was thankful for that, having only just returned home to his family's palace after nearly a full cycle of seasons spent abroad. As custom dictated, he was sent away to study with the monks at temples in the mountains to the north. Though it represented a critical period of growth, learning, and maturation for a young royal, all Ten could think about was how deeply that kind of austere lifestyle did not suit him.

He cannot say he enjoyed the experience. The days were long and quite joyless. The food was bland and deemed utilitarian in nature only. The environment was stifling and often opposed to any sense of creativity or artistry. And it certainly did not help that he had been restricted to silence for nearly a month after voicing his complaints over these things. While he was sure there were many lessons learned that would eventually bear fruit in his future both as an adult and a ruler, he had to admit that he was more than grateful to be returning to his normal life back home.

For his first day back at the palace, he was allowed to sleep in if he wished. Though as much as he appreciated being back on his plush mattress with soft linens, he was eager to enjoy the pleasures of his kingdom again – and there was not much he could do from his bed. So he slid from the confines of his sheets, stretching his arms over his head before tugging on his own robes in a show of his new-found self-sufficiency.

He padded across the long room, pushing through the ornately carved door and passing through to the next room. It was bright and open, sunlight pouring in and glittering against the plethora of gold accents throughout the space.

“Good morning, Prince,” one servant greeted warmly, bowing upon catching sight of him. "Have you slept well?"

"I believe it was the best sleep I've had in a year," Ten smiled, reclining at the low table where a breakfast of rice porridge topped with all his favorite fixings was still piping hot and waiting for him. He leaned over the bowl and breathed in the comforting, familiar scent of warm pork and fresh ginger. Ten grinned. “Have you missed me much while I was away?”

The servant chuckled as he poured fresh oolong for him. Ten had developed quite a taste for the foreign tea years ago while at his good friend’s palace and consequently insisted that it be imported into the kingdom. 

“Of course, Your Majesty’s presence was greatly missed,” he cooed. “Though apparently, we are not the only ones.”

Ten cocked his still rather sleepy head to the side in questioning as the servant set down the porcelain cup. Without having to ask, he quickly turned to retrieve a stack of letters that Ten had not seen piled on top of a small table near the window.

He placed the bundle before Ten and the prince quickly straightened to inspect them. On a cursory glance, there must have been nearly two dozen letters, all bound together with a cord while they anxiously awaited the Prince’s return to the palace. 

“They were marked by the date in which they arrived over the last year, Your Majesty,” the servant added, though Ten barely heard.

He fanned them out, each possessing the same crimson seal that had Ten’s heart leaping into his throat with excitement. 

He tore into the letters on the spot, consuming each sentence – each _word –_ voraciously, eyes alight with fervor to read the stories sent by his dearest and oldest friend, Prince Kun. 

Their contents were varied in the extreme. Some told thrilling tales of races nearly won against his palace’s horsemaster, or the startling account of catching sight of a tiger in the mountains on the very edge of their kingdom’s territory. Others were far more relaxed, simply sharing some details of daily life that were better suited for a diary than of a letter. 

Though Ten did not mind that one bit. In fact, those were some of his favorites as he savored the soothing intimacy of Kun’s words.

By the fourth- or fifth-earliest dated letter, Kun began apologizing for his continued post, despite knowing that Ten was away.

_“I assure you that I am aware that, like a sensible prince, you are studying well abroad and must not be disturbed. Though, even if you are gone for now, I find myself unable (or perhaps, unwilling) to suspend my correspondence with you, my friend.”_

It was terribly endearing, and Ten was certain he could imagine the shy, conflicted pout that must have play on the other prince's lips as he penned such words.

Another letter appeared to be particularly mundane, including a recipe for some kind of cake made with an ingredient Ten had never heard of before: honey. 

_“It was brought by merchants who traveled from a great distance. Apparently, it is harvested from the hives of bees – though it is a different species than that which set its sights on us in the garden one afternoon. Do you remember? Perhaps you do not. Alas, it was quite long ago now.”_

Ten smiled to himself. Of course, he remembered. The images of their childish hands swatting wildly in all directions was burned into his memory, along with all the others from his time at Kun’s home. He kept those close and safe, tucked into the space his friend had gently carved out in his heart.

_“I tasted it and thought of our summer, of free days spent together under the sun with soft earth beneath our toes and the wind in our hair. I quite miss such things…”_

His cheeks hurt from the silly, beaming grin that he expressed no will to hold back. Kun went on to describe the product as sweet and mellow, but warned of its frustratingly sticky nature. 

_“I’ve included a few jars for your assessment. Hopefully they reach you in tact and you may give me your opinion.”_

Ten glanced around the room.

“Has anything else arrived in my absence?”

The servant, who had stood by patiently, nodded. “Ah, yes. What you’re looking for would be in the kitchen, Your Majest—”

Ten didn’t wait another moment before leaping to his feet, bolting down out of his rooms and down the corridor. He raced down and down the stairs, nearly tripping on the way to kitchens. Politely (though making no effort to hide his haste) he requested the staff to retrieve his gift from the food stores.

Jar in hand, he was too excited to heed Kun’s words, lowering the tip of his pinky into the viscous amber substance and popping it between his lips. His eyes fluttered closed in delight. After months of little more than dry breads and bland lentils, this was a luscious treat on his tongue. He took one, two, three more tastes before the young prince was found, scolded, and shooed out of the kitchen by the already tired head chef. 

Ten was unbothered as he floated back up to his rooms with his gift still in hand, held furtively in his clutch beneath his long sleeve. He didn’t mind being caught barefoot and unbathed, sneaking sweets from the pantry like he was a child again. Perhaps something about his friend had that youthful influence on him. 

He returned to his breakfast table, poring over the letters again and again, each time finding a new detail that he had missed before.

While he was gone, in his quietest moments, he thought of Kun. He could not help the many nights he lied awake, wondering if his dear friend would grow tired of waiting for his return home – or worse, that he might even forget about him all together in his long absence. 

But now, Ten found relief.

He did not often prefer to admit to an error in judgment – did not often revel in the feeling of his beliefs being so comfortably overturned. But as he dipped into the sweet, golden honey again, he was absolutely pleased to be proven wrong.

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so much for reading!! 😊 please be sure to leave me some kudos & kind comments !! more coming soon~ 💗
> 
> [twt!](https://twitter.com/mad__honey) [cc!](https://curiouscat.me/mad__honey)


	4. paper swans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It cannot be an easy situation to endure, and from such a distance,” Sicheng offered quietly. “It must be very difficult for you, Kun ge.”
> 
> “Yes,” Kun sighed, his exhaustion from nerves no doubt etched all over his face. “I cannot recall any time as difficult as these last few days.”
> 
> Sicheng nodded in understanding. “I hear love can be the source of many such discomforts…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this update came later than expected, but thank you for waiting for it 💕
> 
> this chapter is a bit longer so please enjoy~

As he aged, Kun didn’t mind the rainy season. 

After eighteen years, he no longer grieved the loss of playful, energetic afternoons that were forced to give way to the heavy rains of late summer. In fact, he enjoyed the due precipitation, as it signalled a good yield of crops in the coming months, and thus prosperity for his people.

And as the prince grew, so did his responsibilities. Consequently, he had little time for indulging in such pleasures anyway. But he tried to enjoy the outdoors when he could, even on days like today, when the rain was particularly strong and unrelenting. He chose to take up a place on the expansive veranda as the thick raindrops fell like bullets against the tiled roof.

Here, he examined the news that was brought in from all over the kingdom and even beyond. He was upon the age in which he must thoroughly understand local and global affairs before he ascended to the throne. 

Each day, there was much to sift through – and it didn’t escape his notice that his daily piles seemed to be growing in size as the year went on. Still, now and then, he would find a wrapped purple envelope tucked into his stack of papers, and the rest of his work seemed to melt away. 

At this point in his life, each letter he received from the foreign prince, Ten, had become a guilty pleasure – a release, albeit only briefly, from the otherwise mundane pattern of his duties. He tried to savor each one like a sweet morsel after supper. 

The older he grew, the more he appreciated the deep understanding he found in his friendship with Ten. Something so tender and intimate was not what he would have anticipated blooming between himself and his intended. After all, he had been taught not to expect much beyond a respectful acquaintanceship between two engaged royals. Though he often struggled to articulate what he had with Ten, it certainly felt like more than that.

But as the pair aged into their roles, their communications sometimes thinned for weeks or months at a time. And today was the first in some time that Kun found a letter from his fiancé.

This afternoon, he had done enough work to merit a break, so he pinched the corner of vivid colored paper, plucking it carefully from the heap. He settled back into his seat at the wrought-iron table and carefully peeled back the casing. The letter unfolded gently in his hands.

_ “Dear Prince, _

_ I hope this finds you well. I am writing from my sickbed as I have come down with fever. I ask that you not worry (though I know you likely will anyway). I can assure you that it is only mild and I am being attended to with the utmost (and almost unnecessary) care.” _

Kun’s breath caught, fear constricting his throat. Ten was right – he could not help his fretting for him. But under Ten’s instruction, he did his best to swallow it down and move on.

_ “It has only been three days but confined to this plushy prison, I admit that I am growing terribly bored and restless. But the doctor has dictated that I am to remain here until further notice. _

_ We’ve both grown busier these days as we fulfill our royal duties, and thus our correspondence has sadly suffered, hasn’t it? As I am at a loss for what to do with myself, I figured I might pass the time writing to you.” _

Ten continued on, offering some news of his latest travels and updates on his kingdom’s business. The letter ended shortly after that, with the promise that he would write again soon. 

That evening, Kun reread the letter as he prepared for bed. He never rushed carelessly into his replies, instead preferring to approach them thoughtfully when he had the time to devote the attention they deserved – the attention  _ Ten _ deserved. So as much as he wanted to scribble a hasty note to his betrothed, he instead set the correspondence on his bedside table and resolved to find a moment in the coming days to pen his response.

But the very next day, much to his surprise, another letter found its way into Kun’s bundle of news. This afternoon was warm but gray, the sky thick and threatening as he sat on his patio and unsealed the envelope. 

_ “To my prince, _

_ Another day in bed. Today my mood is particularly sour. I do not like to be poked and prodded. I do not like to be bound to one place. And I do not like being plied with what feels like gallons of herbal teas at an alarming rate! They are all very fine in quality but I think by the end of this period, I shall hope to never catch so much as a whiff of lemongrass again…” _

Kun chuckled to himself at the other’s expense. He read the remainder of Ten’s complaints, outlined with great detail and great fervor as he grinned from ear to ear. Ten’s spirit never failed to put a smile on his face – and he was certain he could imagine his pert nose scrunching up in that childish way that he remembered.

Most importantly, he was thankful that Ten was being carefully looked after. The foreign prince noted that each day, his beddings were replaced with a fresh new set. His baths were long and thorough. And even his nightly reading was cut short so that he would be made to rest. Ten seemed to despise every moment of it, but Kun could be satisfied with the level of care. 

Besides being his future husband and king, Ten was Kun’s closest companion throughout the years. Even if the other’s illness was only mild in nature and Kun knew it would be quite foolish to even consider, the thought of abandoning his duties for an emergency journey to Ten’s kingdom certainly did cross his mind.

But at the moment, it was out of the question. So Kun was only grateful for those caring for Ten in his absence as he tucked the letter back into the envelope and returned to rest of the post awaiting him.

Another moon passed, and another letter arrived. Kun pitied the poor messengers on the route between their kingdoms.

But Kun was busier today and hadn’t time in his schedule for a break. He had the envelope brought to his rooms where he could leisurely imbibe the words while he sipped his evening tea.

And he was thankful for the privacy, as at first, Kun did not find today’s note enjoyable. 

Apparently, Ten’s palace had recently welcomed another young royal to its court. It wasn’t uncommon. In fact, just last year two young men – one a lesser royal, and the other a son of a wealthy nobleman – had taken residence at his own palace. The practice was useful when eligible bachelors and bachelorettes were looking for a suitable marriage arrangement.

Though Kun had to admit, he did not care to hear much about the particular details Ten shared.

_ “He is a year older than you and I, tall and quite handsome, too. But he is also intelligent and very kind. He makes me laugh quite often. For that, I am sure he will easily secure an agreeable marriage.” _

The gentle chamomile suddenly felt bitter on Kun’s tongue and he was powerless against the flame of jealousy that sparked in his gut – until he continued.

_ “And I will be most happy for him when he does. _

_ We talk often about such worries, and I must say, it makes me thankful for our own arrangement set years ago, my prince. _

_ When I was young, I was afraid of such things. To be fated to another at such an innocent age is quite frightening, isn’t it? But at least it is a burden on our shoulders no longer. And these days, I am not so fearful to pledge my life to another as I once was as a child – because it is to you, Kun.” _

His eyes traced over the lines again, letting those gentle, calming words wash over him like the small waves in the bay that lap quietly against the shore. His heart softened in his chest. 

The same thought often crossed Kun’s own mind during his quiet moments to himself. Though the fulfillment of their marriage contract was still a few years away, he was distinctly aware of its growing approach. The eminence of it lingered heavy on his mind with each passing day.

They had not set eyes on one another in years. They each developed and evolved and matured on their own – but despite the distance, their hearts grew together, clinging tightly to one another through their most formative years. 

The quiet entrance of an attendant suddenly dragged him out of his thoughts. He blinked and felt warmth seeping into his cheeks at the loss of privacy. With careful fingers, he creased the parchment again and clutched it to the silk brocade of his robe for safekeeping until he was alone once more.

On the fourth day of this period, Kun caught yet another shard of regal purple among his daily reports. The comfort of the previous day’s writing was still settled firmly in his chest, but he exercised no restraint in unsealing today’s note.

But as the paper unfolded, Kun quickly swallowed his excitement.

_ “My prince, _

_ Today, my state of being is quite poor. I feel only tired and weak. I cannot write very much. _

_ I think I must simply rest.” _

In all the time he had known the other, Kun had never experienced such brevity of Ten’s expression. A prick of worry caught him in the back of his neck.

Kun cleared the lump in his throat, slipping the letter back inside its casing and putting it aside. He reached for a fresh leaf of paper along with his carved bamboo pen and a pot of ink and began to carefully but quickly pen his response. It could not wait until evening.

His note was simple and clear, requesting word on Ten’s condition and inquiring as to whether he should make arrangements to personally travel to the distant kingdom. Perhaps it was hasty and coarse, as he did not reserve time to thoughtfully gather the words he preferred to use in conversation with this friend, but that was not his concern.

With permission, he summoned the palace’s fastest rider and sent his letter off that afternoon. The messenger would take an overland route – it was shorter, but a bit more difficult to travel. And Kun was not even sure it would make much of a difference – but he had to try.

Had a letter from Ten arrived the following day, Kun’s nerves might have been assuaged. But there was nothing. 

So he could only wait. One day passed. And then another. And another. The sunrises and sunsets came and went until nearly a week had gone.

Kun was distracted. He slogged through his duties mindlessly, thoughts too preoccupied with the health of his friend to notice much of anything else around him. He did not care for this feeling – this lack of knowledge and lack of control. His mind was thousands of miles away, and others were noticing.

“Prince?” A voice called to him, though it almost sounded far away. “Kun ge, are you listening?”

Kun blinked, remembering himself and those around him. He was in the sitting room this afternoon as the rains drenched the palace grounds. Across from him sat Sicheng, the son of a powerful nobleman in the region and a guest at court that had become Kun’s companion. He was not unlike a younger brother to the Prince.

When Kun looked up, he was met with the other’s concerned eyes.

“My apologies,” Kun mumbled, straightening himself up on his seat reaching for the deck of playing cards on the small table between them. “You were saying?”

Sicheng scrutinized him further, and Kun could feel it, turning crimson under his gaze.

“You are still worried about this other prince,” Sicheng noted carefully.

Kun cleared his throat, but it remained dry and knotted. 

“Yes, I am still quite worried,” Kun echoed, eyes trained on the richly detailed cards between his fingers. 

“I am sure you will receive word soon,” Sicheng hummed, plucking the cards dealt to him off of the wooden surface. “Though it would not be too late or too difficult for a royal of your standing to secure another marriage alliance, if necessary.”

Kun’s jaw set in tension, bile churning in his stomach as he untangled the meaning behind the other’s words. 

“Another arrangement is the very least of my fears, I assure you,” he said. 

Sicheng cocked an eyebrow. “Surely, you must think practically about these things—”

“And surely you must worry about your own marriage plans, instead.”

The words were past the boundary of Kun’s lips before he had the opportunity to catch them. Sicheng stared across at him, bewildered at the harshness of the otherwise mild mannered prince’s tone. He folded his cards on the tabletop and lowered his hands into his lap. 

“Forgive me if I spoke out of turn, Prince,” Sicheng said lowly, pink coloring his cheeks and down his neck all the way to the red-trimmed collar of his blouse. “I will excuse myself.”

Kun leaned forward as the other rose from his seat.

“Wait, Sicheng,” he called. “Please— Don’t leave yet. I— I am sorry for being a bit short today. Perhaps I am more ill at ease than I care to admit…”

Sicheng tentatively settled back onto the cushion, retrieving his playing cards once more and silently fanning them out in his hands.

“It cannot be an easy situation to endure, and from such a distance,” Sicheng offered quietly. “It must be very difficult for you, Kun ge.”

“Yes,” Kun sighed, his exhaustion from nerves no doubt etched all over his face. “I cannot recall any time as difficult as these last few days.”

Sicheng nodded in understanding. “I hear love can be the source of many such discomforts…”

Kun’s spine stiffened, a mixture of embarrassment and surprise causing a ripple of chills to prick along the length of his neck. The thought had not occurred to him before the weighted words were spoken. 

In this world – his world, and Ten’s world – romantic love was simply an ideal meant to be admired from a distance for those without such responsibilities of station as theirs. It was a concept much more comfortably suited to the realm of fairy tales and epics, than to that of royalty and kings. 

But perhaps this is what it truly felt like – what so many great poets described so keenly in verse after verse throughout all of history. Perhaps it was the fluttering of his heart against his ribcage whenever he caught sight of a purple envelope addressed to him – or the quiet but fervent longing for another opportunity to meet that plagued his thoughts nearly every day now. 

But perhaps it was also this consuming anguish of uncertainty that left him feeling untethered and out to sea – or the desperate prayers he whispered after dark, carrying more pleas for the health and comfort of his betrothed than for himself, or anyone else.

Kun hummed, certain his voice would betray him if he spoke. Thankfully, his friend was wise enough to shift the conversation to something trivial, and Kun repaid his kindness with a concerted effort to listen, though he had little to say.

After their leisure time, Kun sat with Sicheng’s words for the remainder of the afternoon, and well into the evening. 

Though love could not be seen as a bad thing, it was all too foreign for his liking. His feelings remained unchanged, but it was as if a shroud of complications had been wrapped around them. He couldn’t be sure of the meaning of it all yet – and that alone frightened him.

He lay awake that night, heavy head sinking into the pillow as he turned his friend’s words around and around in his mind as if examining them for insincerity and false logic. By the time sleep finally overtook him, he had found none.

The next morning, he was as unsettled as ever. He scrambled to gather his composure before he was greeted by his attendant, but the figure waiting beyond his door was not what he expected.

His messenger had finally returned from her journey. Stray hairs framed her face, having pulled out of her thick bun as she journeyed roughly on horseback. And the dark plum color hanging beneath her eyes was indicative of her travels through the night. 

“My deepest apologies for the delay, Your Highness,” she said hurriedly, her body folding in half lowly at the waist upon the sight of the prince before her. When she rose, Kun eyed the package in her hands. “Prince Chittaphon recovered shortly after my arrival, but… His Majesty requested – quite firmly – that I remain in the kingdom while preparing something to send back.”

Her arms extended, presenting the parcel as she bowed her head once more. It was a wooden box, featuring intricate carvings and golden accents. 

“I understand,” Kun nodded, receiving the item into his itching fingers. “So, he  _ is  _ fully recovered then? His health has returned?”

“Almost entirely, Your Highness,” she affirmed, folding her empty hands behind her back.

“Did you, perhaps, have the opportunity to see the prince, himself?”

“The prince had indeed insisted upon an audience with the messenger so urgently sent from the kingdom,” she said. 

“And—” Kun paused, swallowing thickly before squaring up his shoulders in an effort to gather the confidence to ask what was truly on his mind. “And might I ask, how did Prince Chittaphon, erm— look?”

He could not help his curiosity. There were not many opportunities to speak with one who had laid eyes on his betrothed so recently, so Kun decided to make the most of this one. 

The messenger had been careful to restrain her emotion until now, when the slight curl of a smile tugged at her lips. 

“With permission to speak frankly…” she began, hesitant until receiving an approving nod from the prince before her. “Even in such a state of recuperation, Prince Chittaphon appears to be growing into a very handsome young man. And if I might add, the very same was asked of you, Your Highness.”

Kun ducked his head down toward the box in his hands so as to limit the visibility of the raging warmth in his cheeks as he chewed on his lip. 

“The kingdom thanks you for your efforts,” he said. “I will see that you are compensated in kind.”

The messenger bowed again, understanding the prince’s words as a cue to excuse herself and quietly backing out of his room. 

Kun turned his attention to the box in his hands. He had no expectation for what was inside as he set it down on an end-table. His fingers traced over the engraved design of repeating swirls and arabesques, taking a moment to appreciate the style emblematic of the kingdom from which it came from.

He wanted to admire it properly, but he couldn’t hold back any longer. He flipped up the golden latch, hinges creaking as he lifted the lid. His brows knit together at its contents.

With careful fingers, he pinched the edge of one delicate, paper figurine and brought it closer to examine it. He’d never seen anything like it – simple paper folded with precision into the shape of some kind of bird. There was another inside the box, identical to the first. He marveled at the pair, wondering at the time and skill it would’ve taken to create them – especially considering Ten’s unwell state.

But he didn’t understand their meaning. Setting them aside, he reached for the note sitting at the bottom of the box.

_ “Dearest Kun, _

_ I was so pleased to receive your letter. Though I am sorry to have worried you so deeply, I am so touched by your care. You will be happy to hear that I am recovering well. I am even allowed to finally leave my bed, even though I am still confined to my rooms. _

_ I can sit by the window often now, and I noticed that there is a lovely view of the gardens. I miss being able to walk among the greenery, and feeling the soft leaves and flower petals still wet with morning dew…  _

_ Anyway, among all the shrubbery sits a statue – two graceful swans carved out of marble. They are lovely, entwined together as they are… I am not sure that I ever appreciated what an enchanting sight it is until now.  _

_ Did you know that swans mate for life? As I write to you now, I must admit it is a nice fate, and one that I hope for us. There is no one else I could imagine such a life with. _

_ When the spring comes around again, there will be a grand cotillion at the palace, for which you will receive a formal invitation in time. You must come, so that we can stroll through the gardens together then. _

_ For now, I can only give this small taste of their essence. I learned this art while abroad and had time to practice it lately.  _

_ Let us be like the swans together someday, Kun… _

_ All my love, _ _   
_ _ Your Ten” _

Kun set the letter down and took a seat as his knees wobbled slightly beneath him. 

_ Let us be like the swans together someday, Kun… _

His heart pounded in his ears at the heady feeling overtaking him. He had to tug his lower lip between his teeth to stifle the beaming smile that threatened to tear unceremoniously across his cheeks. 

Perhaps Sicheng had been right – his feelings for the distant prince were quite beyond the boundary of friendship now. But as he took the swans delicately in each hand once more, at least he could be certain it was not one-sided. 

_ Your Ten _

Yes, Kun liked the sound of that – _his_ Ten; his longest friend and his most trusted confidante; his current fiancé and his future king; his beating heart and his truest love.

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so much for reading! please leave me some kudos & kind comments if you enjoyed it 💗💗💗
> 
> [twt!](https://twitter.com/mad__honey) [cc!](https://curiouscat.me/mad__honey)

**Author's Note:**

> thank you so much for reading this first chapter. please leave me some kudos & kind comments if you enjoyed it 💗💗💗
> 
> [twt!](https://twitter.com/mad__honey) [cc!](https://curiouscat.me/mad__honey)


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